


Tangerine Skies

by Doubledoppeldonger



Category: Borderlands, Firewatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Firewatch au, Fluff, M/M, bad language, more to come - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 01:39:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6175168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doubledoppeldonger/pseuds/Doubledoppeldonger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rhack firewatch au that was suggested by someone on tumblr and I wanted to take on board.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First day

The sun had long fallen back behind the mountains in the distance as he reached his lookout tower. Checking his map once more, Jack made his way up the stairs, circling his location on the paper as a sort of reassurance. Each wooden board creaked under his weight as he dragged his fatigued body towards the promise of a bed after two days of hiking in the wilderness. As Jack reached the top he looked out at the woodlands around him, promising himself to fully enjoy the surroundings after a good night’s sleep. After all, he did have the whole summer.

Finally reaching the door of the lookout, he turned the handle, the door opening with no resistance and let himself inside. Dropping his pack was like a weight being miraculously removed from his shoulders, cracking the twinges out of his neck, he turned on the power. Life was suddenly spread throughout the quaint room of the tower, and by life he meant a loud hum from the generator and lights flickering in his face until they settled. 

The sigh he released was loud and long. This was it, his home away from home this summer, something to-

“Hello there Two-Forks tower” 

Jack’s attention was soon moved to the dusty yellow box on top of the desk beside him. He made a noise of annoyance and looked at the bed in the corner. All he wanted to do was sleep, to enjoy the comfort of a mattress instead of the rough ground he had been sleeping on. 

“Two-Forks tower this is Thoroughfare, come in.”

He groaned again, temped to just switch off the radio and embrace the pillow waiting for him. 

“I know you’re there, asshole, your lights are on.” 

Jack glared at the tower in the distance before turning his attention back towards the radio. Picking it up, he clicked the button on the side and brought it close to his mouth.  
“Yeah hi? Hello, whoever this is?” 

“It’s Jack, right?” the voice replied, sounding more cheerful now that he had picked up. 

“Yeah… who’re you?” 

A laugh came across the radio, “I’m Rhys” 

Jack moved over to the bed and sat down, leaning back against the window, his back towards Rhys’ tower, “Yeah, the guy I talked to mentioned you.” 

Another bubbly giggle came through the speaker, causing Jack to raise an eyebrow, “So, what’s wrong with you, Jack?”

“Um, what’s wrong with you?” 

“Alright, you can guess first!” 

Jack sighed, “Goodnight Rhys.” 

“Nooo, c’mon, just one guess.”

“Alright fine, you came out here because no one can stand your whiney ass back wherever you came from.” Jack shifted his body and laid back on the mattress. Oh yeah, he could fall asleep like this, if only that kid wasn’t buzzing in his ear. 

“Ouch, alright, that was a bit harsh,” a sigh came through, “what a grump.”

“I’m much happier once I’ve actually slept.” 

“Ah! No, it’s my turn!”

Jack sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose in between his finger and thumb. 

“Hmm, I actually know nothing about you…” A pause, “Maybe you got dumped? Or, or maybe you have like some creepy tree fetish, eewww, oh I bet it’s the second one.” 

Jack snorted, “You got me, Night.”

“Night Jack.”


	2. Day 2

Jack sat at his typewriter, his sentence trailing off midway as he fell into a trance. It was already pretty late, he slept in quite a bit. He stole a glance down towards the gold band on his finger, reaching forward and twirling it around a bit when the radio crackled to life.   
“Morning sleeping beauty, well, evening. I can see you at your desk so don’t pretend you’re still sleeping.” 

Jack scrunched up his nose, glaring at the little yellow box. He will definitely have to grow used to this brat in his ear this whole summer. Great. 

He grunted as he leaned forward and picked up the radio, clicking the button on the side. “Yeah, I get it, I slept in.” 

A chuckle came through the speakers, “Yeah you did, it’s like six-thirty right now.” 

Jack snorted and directed his attention to where the sun was peeking out from behind the mountains, slowly making its descent below. 

“Anyway, time to get you acquainted to the job, huh?” 

“Sure thing, pumpkin” 

“Alright buddy, you see that map in the middle-”

Jack paused as Rhys was suddenly cut off. He stared at the radio before turning around and looking at the other’s tower in the distance. Jack brought the radio to his mouth.   
“You still there?” 

There was a crackle, and Rhys’ voice soon filled the room again, “Fuck! Yeah! I’m here, a-anyway you see the…. Ah fuck me…” 

“Jeez, language, kiddo.” Jack hissed, glaring at the speakers as if Rhys would be able to see his stern look. 

A loud pop-like noise echoed in the distance and Jack turned his head towards the west facing window. Lines of smoke and small bursts of colour filled the caramel sky. Ah, that’s not good. 

“Hey, Rhys? That’s not legal right?”

“NOPE! A-ah, um, you need to go down there!” Rhys sounded frantic on the other side of the radio, it was honestly rather amusing. “It’s probably some teens messing around by the lake.”

“Do I get to beat the shit out of them?” Jack asked, his lips curling into a smirk. 

“What? No!” Jack chuckled at the way Rhys’ voiced cracked before getting out of his chair and grabbing his pack.

“Aww…” he feigned disappointment and got an exasperated groan in reply. 

“Anyway, to get to the lake, you’ll need to pick up some rope from one of our cache boxes, the password is 1-2-3-4,” Rhys paused, “Actually it’s like that for all of them.”

Jack barked out a laugh, “Secure!” 

“Shut up.”   
\--------

Jack felt his back pop as he stretched out, the fall from the cliff side doing wonders for his aging body. He continued his hike towards the lakeside, looking up to see another firework. He pulled out the small radio and brought it up to his mouth. 

“That rope snapped and I landed on my ass.” 

An amused snort came from the other side, “Age finally catching up with you, Jack?” 

“Excuse you cupcake, I happen to be in the prime of my life.” 

Bubbly laughter echoed from the radio and Jack couldn’t help but smile, “Whatever you say, old man, but seriously, are you ok?”

Jack grunted as he tripped walking over a ditch in the ground, “Yeah, you’re still stuck with me, pumpkin.” 

“Damn!”   
Jack chuckled and moved closer to the lake, spotting something glittering against the fading light. As he reached the source, he soon found cans littered all over the area and a campfire nearby. He stomped any leftover embers and called Rhys. 

“Found their camp, nothing here but empty beer cans and their packs over by the cliff face.” 

Rhys groaned, “Don’t mess with their stuff, I don’t want any trouble.” 

Jack looked around and found a bundled up assortment of fireworks leaning against a rock. Stepping forward, he reached down and picked them up, revealing a bottle of whiskey against the other side.

“I’ve found their fireworks and a nice bottle of Purple Skag whiskey, for a bunch of brats they have a good taste.” 

“Confiscate the fireworks and go confront them.” 

Jack took off his pack and put the fireworks inside, grabbing the bottle of whiskey as well. You know, as compensation. Sliding the pack back onto his shoulders he headed towards the shrubbery blocking the lake. Some type of crappy teenage pop song hit his ears and clothing strewn about caught his eyes. Oh fantastic, there’s probably two teenagers who are having the time of their lives finding out about the opposite sex. 

He set of through the bushes grumbling before a couple of strewn about bras and underwear came into view. He paused and rolled his eyes. 

“Rhys they’re skinny dipping… And they’re girls.” 

A snort came from the other side, “Ohhh, perfect! Have fun and try not to cream your pants!” 

Jack cursed and continued grumbling, he came out through the clearing and in the distance saw the offenders splashing around by the large rock in the middle of the lake. He walked towards the shore and glanced to the side where the girl’s boom box was perched against a rock. Jack leaned forward and picked it up, holding it with both hands. 

A fiery voice reached his ears as he did so, “Hey! Asshole! Leave that alone!”

“Ugh, hey, fucking cool it with the fireworks and nothing gets damaged!” He yelled back. 

“Fine! You’re holding a lot of money there!”

“Lilith, this guy is creeping me out…” 

Jack growled and set down the boom box, turning off the annoying racket, “Look! I’ll leave you drunkards alone as long as you fucking stop with the fireworks and campfire ok?” 

A cooler voice perked up now, “Why should we listen to you? You’re just some gross old perv!”

Why was everyone calling him old?

“Yeah! Maya’s right! What a gross pervert!”

Jack sighed, well he already took the fireworks so they can’t really do anymore harm even if they wanted. 

“Let’s go Lilith” 

“Yeah!” 

The brats took off behind the rock and Jack turned around, pulling out his map to find another way back to his lookout, he was so done for the day.  
The radio in his pocket crackled, “So how did it go?”

“I hope they drown.”

A mock gasp sounded through the speakers, “Jack! How could you say that?!” 

He rolled his eyes and headed back over a creek trying to find some way back to his lookout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Events of the game will come in short bursts after this chapter probs


End file.
